


There's A Monster In My Garden (And It Helps Me Sleep)

by Cervalces_Scotti, Panintoto



Series: I Collect Dragon Scales: Shorts [1]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Callum Needs a Hug (The Dragon Prince), Child Callum (The Dragon Prince), Child Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Cultural Differences, Cute Kids, F/M, Insomnia, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:00:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24284749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cervalces_Scotti/pseuds/Cervalces_Scotti, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Panintoto/pseuds/Panintoto
Summary: Callum has makes a peculiar friend who only comes at night.
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Series: I Collect Dragon Scales: Shorts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755409
Comments: 7
Kudos: 116





	There's A Monster In My Garden (And It Helps Me Sleep)

**Author's Note:**

> Finished The Dragon Prince, and I couldn't help myself. Felt like I had to write something, so here it goes

Callum heard voices, sentences blurred together, slurring into meaninglessness. He writhed in imaginary agony--

_"--I'll find you!"_

\--the shadows of a nightmare insistently pulling, pulling--

_"--I swear! Look at the sky when you miss me, I'm watching with you--"_

\--until the hold of sleep broke. He shot upright, breath shallow. Pjs stuck close to skin, slick with sweat, he hissed at the cold air. It rose goosebumps over heated flesh, making everything all the more uncomfortable.

He groaned, falling back onto his bed. Callum wasn't going to go back to sleep tonight.

Quietly as he could, he got dressed for outside. He'd done this often enough, no one questions where he goes anymore. It helps that little Ez needs a lot of attention, it distracts everyone from him.

Callum snuck into his dad's room to Ezran's crib. The baby prince seemed to be resting soundly tonight, which meant his dad was definitely in a deep sleep. He gave his little brother a small smile before he went out.  
______________________________________________________

It was dark out, illuminated only by the full moon. No stars to find comfort in tonight. He sighed as he sat down underneath the tree in the center of one of the gardens.

Flashes of the nightmare came to mind as he stared up at the starless sky once again, "Come on Callum," He whispered to himself, "you're 11 now. Gotta be brave, gotta be--" There was the sound of a snapping branch, something else was here, "-- _eep!_ "

Unfamiliar noises that were eerily close scared him more, he stood up shakily, grabbing the nearest fallen branch to use as a weapon. Well...it was closer to a twig, but it would have to do. "Who's there?" Callum said into the still night air. His heartbeat was so loud in his ears, but it began to settle when there was no response--

"I was in the tree."

"AH--!" With surprising strength, whoever managed to completely shut him up, their grip was tight over his mouth and throat.

"Shhh! I'm not supposed to be here."

 _'No kidding!'_ He internally shouted.

"I'll let you go if you promise you won't scream. If you scream, I'll put you to _sleep_." They emphasizes their threat with a slight increase in pressure on his throat, "Got it?"

Callum desperately nodded as best he could, the grip immediately released. He gasped, whirling around to see who had nearly choked him to death. At first the image didn't register. They were a girl, apparently. A little bit taller than him, unusually colored features, horns--wait a second.

"You're not human!"

She glared, "Obviously not, now _shut up!_ " She hissed lowly, "I will not be caught because of some stupid human boy."

They were at a standstill, Callum considered running inside. But something told him not to, a curiosity. He had never seen something--someone, that was like her before. He got glimpses from Claudia, a glimpse into a world beyond his own. He was drawn to it.

Callum held his hands up, "Okay, I won't scream for help...on one condition."

She tensed, "What is it?"

"Tell me your name."

Her harsh glare dropped with her jaw, "What?"

"Your name," Callum stepped closer to the strange girl, "in case I don't see someone like you again."

The girl very nearly stepped back, her gut told her otherwise. She could trust this boy with her name, "Rayla. Spelled how it sounds."

He tentatively offered his hand, "Callum. Uh...sounds kinda like calcium?"

Rayla rolled her eyes, taking his hand, "You're weird."

"It's my charm."  
______________________________________________________

Callum was never sure if he would see Rayla again. But just when he thought she wouldn't be coming back, she'd scare the heck out of him by seemingly appearing out of no where.

The strange nightmares of darkness and a terrible loss that drove him to come out every night vanished from his mind when she was around. Their simple conversations were so refreshing, eye-opening even.

"So wait, you actually eat those things?"

Rayla popped mysterious red berry into her mouth, "Mhm, Moonberries. Super good, super healthy, unlike that weird human food."

"Jelly tarts aren't so bad," Callum commented offhandedly, "My little brother loves them more than a baby should. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No, it's just me. Not sure if I could handle another little thing running around in my space."

"Well, I keep _you_ around, so--" Callum shrugged, Rayla shoved him over.

"You love my company."

He really couldn't deny that.  
______________________________________________________

"So you're 12?"

"Yeah. Don't tell me humans use a complicated age system too," She shivered, "The rituals after birth are bad enough."

"No, I'm 11...and they're called _'birthday parties,'_ Rayla."

"Why celebrate something like that?"

Callum shifted uncomfortably, "It's just a thing to be proud of I guess, still being alive."

Rayla scoffed, "It's being _alive_ Callum. Everything alive does it, so why celebrate?"

"...probably because you'll never know when you won't be anymore." He couldn't help but think about his mom, how every day he missed her. One day there, the next, gone. It was so sudden, and it still hurts more than anything.

Rayla didn't press, she just knew something about this was hurting Callum. Awkwardly, she opened her arms, "You guys have hugs--?"

Callum practically jumped at her, nearly knocking them both into the dirt, "Thank you."

Rayla only hugged him tighter, flustered at the suddenness, "Don't thank me, I'll still put you to sleep if you're too noisy."

Callum smiled, "I know."  
______________________________________________________

After what felt like the millionth time, Rayla somehow managed to sneak up on him. She was way too good at that, stealth and being all ninja like. It was unfair! And what made it even more unfair was-- "You can turn _invisible?!_ "

"Yep," Rayla grinned, "Makes it easier to sneak into places, and scare some jumpy human boys."

"How do you do it?" He asked eagerly.

"Magic," Callum opened his mouth to say something, "and no, I'm not being sarcastic." He closed his mouth, "I don't think humans can do magic."

Callum knew that it was his calling, he was drawn to it, felt it, "Well I will some day."

Rayla chuckled, "Right, and I can't wait to see the day."  
______________________________________________________

"You only have _four_ fingers?!"

Rayla grinned, taking off her boots to show her feet, "An' toes. That's normal, what's with you humans and your extras?"

Callum put his own bare foot next to hers, "No, it's normal for humans to have five fingers and five toes."

"Extras," Rayla declared confidently.

Callum sputtered for a moment, "Oh yeah well...your horns are awesome!"

She paused for a second, and snorted once, twice, until it was a full laugh. "Was that supposed to be an insult?"

He blushed, shoving his shoe back on while looking anywhere but her, "I can't be mean to my friends."

Rayla stopped abruptly, Callum looked to her, worried. He was only met with innocent amazement, it startled him a little. "You...think I'm a _friend?_ "

"Duh!" He exclaimed, leaning in to bump his shoulder onto hers, "Why wouldn't you be?"

She didn't answer at first, shaking her head as a smile crept onto her face, " 'Cause I only have _four_ fingers and _four_ toes?"

He laughed, "You're my friend Rayla, four fingers, toes, and all."

"You know, you're weird, especially for a human."

"Yeah yeah, you know you wouldn't want it any other way."

Rayla felt unusually warm at that, "Not even for a second."


End file.
